Predicted microplastic uptake through trophic transfer by the short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

Marine mammals can serve as an indicator of ecosystem health, and are likely exposed to significant amounts of microplastics (MPs). In this study we estimated the MP uptake of two odontocetes, the short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), in the Mediterranean Sea and the Northeast Atlantic. These two species are expected to primarily ingest MPs through trophic transfer.